Another story of abuse in PA. The hidden truths behind Hidden Valley Homeowners Association PART 1.

Let me give you a little more information about myself that will help to understand how I know about these things. Before I had my heatstroke and up till the time of the heatstroke I was employed as a rod chain man/ Instrument man/ Draftsman. I got to crawl around in swaps neck deep in filth and crap to survey house projects and such for two companies. The First one was Dewberry& Davis, the other being Bengsten Debell Elkin & Titus. Most all I did was Wetland and Non Tidal-wetland locations and house location surveys. So I am very familiar with wetlands and what they entail and what they look like. As well as housing developments having worked on several from the wetlands to the housing complexes finished.

I now bring you another story very closely related. She brought this piece to my attention and I decided to try and help them anyway I can even if it’s just to write about what they have already done.

Now first I’m going to make up a story then fit that made up story to real life. I will base my made up story on things from my life that have happened then will show how this story fits in to a real life story.

“It sounded like the typical scam, the site was a site of some toxic chemical dump that they got for a song and dance. Figure if they throw enough trash into the swamp then fill it in with dirt they can build on it. The place was built on wetlands and floods when it rains. It’s a mud pit. Gives off noxious fumes after it rains with stuff bubbling up from the ground. Trash out in the woods covering up old sewer pipes. Buildings in disrepair, Repairs not up to code. People getting sick from mold that has built up in the basements and crawl spaces of the buildings because their foundations cracked because of corners being cut when they were built. Pay offs got stuff done. And who cares that they are now endangering lives.“

Now you wouldn’t want to live in a place like I just described, would you? But yet as you will see this place does exist and it has a name… The name of the place is Hidden Valley Condominium Association. There is so much that has happened here I don’t even know where to begin. From what I have gathered the problems started out back when the place was first developed. How do you go about investigating a place that doesn’t seem to exist?

While surveying I heard a lot of things about dirty deals and corruption. How they would hide properties and make them a money grab. What happen is a bunch of con’s wants some dough so they came up with a “condo” and they rip people off with them.

One thing you will notice if you pull this address up on Google Earth or Mapquest it comes up in the middle of the road no where near the condos. And on some it shows a pool or a pit, which in a way is a subconscious slip of reality, because from what I have heard it is a pit. And this isn’t even a problem compared to what you will see is wrong with these condos.

Let me start to address the problems that are here by first having you read about what Several people have put together on their website which I encourage you to go to and sign up to help them. Here is their quote from their webpage:

“WOULD YOU LIVE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS?

• Electrical shorts and spark

• Discolored water- (rotten egg like odor)

• Sewage back up in every area that water protruded

• Heavy soot

• Mold and mildew

The unit owner’s battle for safe and livable conditions has been ongoing since 2000. Fourteen years later the issues remain unresolved. The owner is being sued for HOA fees and has been forced into litigation for being vocal about unsafe, unsanitary and unlivable conditions. It is the owners belief that the condominium as a whole has severe issues which are being concealed and are endangering people’s health and safety. No one should have to live with their safety in question because of these conditions, many which are visible. We are requesting that you review the documentation and pictures carefully and decide for yourself.

(Electric and valves were turned off – due to safety concerns)

Why should someone be forced to live in deplorable conditions? Oh, you’re not being forced – you can move. You are free to move out of your condo that is paid in full – except for your HOA fees. THOSE you will still have to pay. WHY? Why should anyone have to pay dues on something that they cannot live in, rent or sell in good conscience. So you do what you think is the right thing and you contact who you think will help you. You show them everything that is wrong; you show them all of the code violations; you show them the disgusting and unsafe conditions that you’re living in. You live with worrying if people are going to get mad at you and retaliate for finally getting sick and tired of putting up with being sick and tired.

You don’t know who you can trust, who you can even talk to, who you can ask to help you. When you think you’ve finally taken a step forward, you’re forced 10 steps back. You have no choice but to move and get sued for the unpaid HOA dues that you refused to pay until the things that were wrong are fixed, if that’s even possible. Your name is dragged through the mud and you can’t even live in your own home. You already have medical issues and being exposed to mold that you’re told “you’re always going to have a problem with” will make the medical problems worse quicker than someone else. I remember a movie over 10 years ago where people were getting sick because of contamination and one unknown woman wouldn’t give up and found justice for them….sound familiar? I’m not saying I’m another Erin Brockovich, but when I see something that is being done to someone that is wrong, I feel compelled to help. That is what this site is all about. Trying to help. Hoping that getting the word out that this is just wrong -plain and simple- will get the people that ARE supposed to be helping to ACTUALLY HELP– do their job & do what’s right. Has everyone forgotten that?? Just doing what’s right, no matter what?

We as a democracy, vote in political & judicial leaders, believing what they tell us – that they’re there for us. And when they fail us, where do WE go? Who do we turn to? When someone you love dies-not from natural causes or a car accident or because they smoked-but because of that special kind of cancer called mesothelioma (asbestos exposure), you tend to start becoming a bit more aware of how there are hidden contaminates all around us that we’re unaware of. You get mad because it shouldn’t be there – your loved one should not have died like that – that special person that would’ve done anything for anybody succombs to a hidden evil.

Contamination is an ongoing problem not just in your town or your state, but the world. It’s always going to be there. But when it’s made aware to the appropriate people and still nothing is done, that’s where your adrenaline kicks in and you wonder WHY. That’s where your anger kicks in and your desire to get the right thing done-no matter what. You stick your neck out to do the right thing….just one unknown woman….

The above quote sums up better what I can put in words. I often get criticized for quoting and using things exactly as they are written but people don’t understand what I am doing. You have to quote someone word for word or it’s not a quote. I also get criticized for paraphrasing stuff which is when I take what someone says and change it around and add words to it to make it my own. But it doesn’t matter, the truth must be told and it doesn’t much mind how it gets told, as long as it’s told. I am only observing this from afar not right up on it. I wish I could go up and see for myself, but they have photos and videos up on their site and they show the truth as the videos and photo’s don’t lie. Having been in places like this I know how bad things can be.

I was asked to comment on what I saw and the first video I saw I did comment on. I’ll include it here for those to lazy to go look for yourself, everything is up on their blog all the comments and such and my communications with them. And I say them because there are several people who I am typing and chatting with. So some of this will be a repeat for some of you and it will be brand new to others. Anyway back to what I was saying. My comment on the first video.

Those look like sand bags in this picture capture of the video I mention.

If that was in my yard the city would have my house condemned. What happened to the EPA? Are they on vacation up there? As a member of the media I am looking into this and I urge any other media that’s truly media to cover it. This is the second story I am following from up there. And is that Non-Tidal Wetlands that stuff is on? Think some things need to be looked at up there. Wish I lived closer. I am trying to find the laws about this, because that looks like it’s also illegal and the property owner needs to be taken to court. I’m going to see if I can get someone I know to look into this for me, and see what I can do.”

So as you can see my made up story is fitting pretty close to what is going on in Hidden Valley. I am having a hard time finding out anything that doesn’t conflict with itself out about this condo complex. Seems that every lead turns into a conflicting turn back on itself or dead ends. Which usually amounts to shady deals done under the table that people don’t want found out. Yeah this rabbit hole is getting deep.

In the next part I’ll be naming some of the players in this drama and telling more about what is going on as there is so much to tell about. You can go to their blog and find out more and talk to the people going through this yourself just follow the links.

Let me just briefly tell you a few things that have happened and try to keep it short. Since I have commented on the wooded area here’s a comment about the conditions, “In the wooded area adjacent to the unit owners wall there is a non maintained wooded area. In that area there are sewer lines and a sinkhole surround with sever overgrowth of trees, various plywood panels are layered across the grounds and is covered with sandbags, concrete bricks, macadam, tires and other forms of rubbish.”

Some of these people have been fighting this battle for over 14 years. That’s a long time for nothing to be done. These problems and others have been going on since before 2000 and some have gotten worse as you can imagine after 14 years of nothing being done about it. Some unit owner’s have gotten sick from the mold and such. Major cracks in the exterior walls as well as the foundations and interior walls. Water and sewage backs up into the cracks during heavy rains and such and then the mold starts. And has gotten worse over the years. There’s also sink holes and such that have been reported as well. So the earth around there seems to be unstable at best. Which would cause the buildings to sink unevenly and crack the foundations.

If they could prove that the builders knew it was unsafe to build on they might have a case, I have told them to get a lawyer as I am just a guy telling a story. I have no law training. All I am trying to do is get people to hear what is going on. Covering that which the MAIN STAIN MEDIA refuses to cover.

Three questions were asked on their blog let’s see if I can answer them here.

Do you see code violations? Not being up on the code and not knowing what the codes are, some of what is going on might actually be allowed by code. It’s a tricky question to ask. I would assume that if there is raw sewage being dumped then that is a code violation.

Do you have safety concerns? If a wall fell down already and was put back up then I would have concerns about the stability of that wall as well as the structural integrity of the units effected.

Do you think it’s livable? If the conditions are as bad as you say they are then no I do not feel it would be livable under those conditions.

I would say they need some lawyers and some experts to go check things out up there and see if there are code violations and such. We use to have this thing called the EPA that would look into these types of things, but somewhere in AMERIKA they no longer seem to do their job or exist. I’m going to contact them and see what they say about all this.

So Stay Tuned for the next follow up on this I’ll be putting names out as well as contacting the EPA.

6 comments

I’ve been following this story as well and appreciate your attention to this issue. You have done an excellent job in describing the horrors of these condo’s. I can’t even imagine having to be stuck living there due to financial reasons. Keep exposing this nightmare so that these homeowners can finally see justice!!!

Glen M. Stuphin, we are more than grateful for all the time and dedication you have placed in researching this story. We are extend our appreciation for writing about something that is lengthy in time frame as well as complex. There are many unanswered questions and the more one seems to dig, the more questions one seems to have. We know that you have and will continue to do this story a great service through your writings and we look forward to them. –